


Will you stay?

by CarlllGallaghrrr



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ian and Mandy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-29
Updated: 2015-04-29
Packaged: 2018-03-26 07:18:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3842002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CarlllGallaghrrr/pseuds/CarlllGallaghrrr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I always wondered why it was Lip who begged Mandy to stay and not Ian.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Will you stay?

Ian slowly opens Mandy’s door and walks inside. She’s sitting on the bed with her knees pulled up to her chest, and the sadness on her face makes Ian’s heart break. She looks nothing like the girl Ian remembers, with the shining eyes and piercing laughter and sarcastic comebacks. She turns her head at the sound of the door opening, and Ian doesn’t miss the fear that flashes across her face before she realizes that it’s him. Ian suddenly feels a surge of rage, and he wants to go get that knife and hold it against Kenyatta’s throat again.

Mandy gives Ian a small smile, and Ian returns it as he struggles to push away the anger. He holds up a few joints and asks, “Do you wanna go outside?”

Mandy unfolds herself and stands up. She gently grabs Ian’s arm and starts to pull him towards the door. “Yeah,” she says softly. “Let’s go.”

***

Ian blows out a steady stream of smoke and closes his eyes, feels the cool night air against his skin. He passes the joint to Mandy and watches her place it between her lips, watches her lie back on the grass. He can see old bruises on her skin, and Ian swallows down his anger. He remembers Mandy in the store that first time, remembers the discomfort that came with her flirting. Remembers the fear he felt, thinking that Mickey and her other brothers would find him, and he remembers how free he felt after he told her that he’s gay. He remembers the days and nights spent with her and Lip, and the time the two of them spent together, getting drunk or high and laughing. Mandy is his best friend, his first real friend, and he can’t let her go.

Mandy opens her eyes and catches Ian staring at her. “Stop staring at me, shithead,” she mumbles, but he sees a hint of a smile as she says it. Ian keeps staring at her, though, and finally Mandy sits up and hits him lightly on the arm.

“Jesus Christ, asshole, what is it?”

Ian smiles at her and gently places his hand on her cheek, turning her head so that her eyes are staring straight into his.

“You are gorgeous,” he whispers. “Okay? You are sweet. You are funny. You’re very smart. You know that right?”

“Shut up,” Mandy says, but she’s smiling, and Ian sees tears starting to well up in her eyes.

“I mean it, okay?” Ian knows his words sound desperate, but he’s suddenly overcome with sadness. All of these things are true, and Ian really does mean them, and he gets the feeling that nobody has ever said these things to Mandy. Ian leans his forehead against hers and whispers, “You are a good person, Mandy.”

Ian pretends he doesn’t see the tear roll down her cheek, and Ian looks down at the ground when she pulls her head back to wipe it away. After a few seconds, Ian looks back up at her and sees her staring at him, smiling softly and holding back more tears.

“I couldn’t bear it if you left. At least not with that piece of shit,” Ian says, and he really is desperate now. “You’re my best friend, Mandy, and I love you. Please stay.”

Mandy’s squeezing her eyes shut, and Ian watches another tear fall.

“Will you stay?” Ian whispers.

Mandy doesn’t reply. She lights another joint and lies back down. Ian lies with her. The two of them lie in silence for a few hours, passing the joints back and forth and watching the stars.

When Ian wakes up the next morning, Kenyatta is gone. He quietly opens Mandy’s door and sticks his head in. She’s sleeping, wrapped up in a blanket. Her face is marred by new cuts and bruises that make Ian’s blood boil, but she’s there. She’s safe.

**Author's Note:**

> On tumblr as carlllgallaghrrr.tumblr.com


End file.
